This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 from an application for APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING AUXILIARY POWER SOURCE TO PORTABLE ELECTRIC DEVICES earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on Jan. 4, 2001 and there duly assigned Serial No. 2001-294.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for providing auxiliary power and more particularly an apparatus for supplying auxiliary power to portable electronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are various portable electronic devices such as a notebook computer, a portable telephone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), etc. These portable electronic devices provide a user with the convenience that the user can use the electronic devices everywhere, by employing a rechargeable battery. The employment of these portable electric devices is increasing in line with an information-oriented society, the technology of the portable electric devices is developing rapidly.
Though these portable electric devices have the merits of good portability, it has the shortcoming of a limited running time according to a charge of the battery. Accordingly, a user carries another auxiliary battery with him or her, and if the battery is discharged, the user changes the exhausted battery into the auxiliary one. At this time, the exhausted battery should be changed after separating it from the portable electronic device, thereby making the battery exchange time-consuming and complicated.
Further, for carrying the auxiliary battery, the user needs to use a bag or a pocket of clothes, thereby making the user inconvenienced.
Exemplars of the art are Korean Patent No. 1994-13732 issued to Chung, for Recharging Apparatus for a Portable Wireless Phone, Korean Patent No. 1999-0035754 issued to Chung, for Power Supply Apparatus for a Computer Monitor, Korean Patent No. 1999-0037347 issued to Youn, for Auxiliary Power Supply Apparatus for a Wireless Phone, Korean Patent No. 1999-0085923 issued to Shim, for Auxiliary Power Supply Apparatus for a Wireless Phone, Korean Patent No. 2000-049190 issued to Snyder, for Beltholder Having Auxiliary Battery, U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,344 issued to Sing, for Portable Power Supply Carrier, U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,026 issued to Lueschen, for Tool Belt with Battery Assembly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,146 issued to Martensson, for Battery Charging Unit Incorporated in a Power Cord Reel Housing, U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,147 issued to Martensson, for Battery Charger Unit Incorporated in a Power Cord Reel Housing, PCT Publication No. WO94/11909 by Scheid, for Sliding Battery Door Having Belt Clip Thereon for Portable Electronic Devices, Japanese Patent No. 63-266761 issued to Iwasaki et al., for Portable Battery Case, Japanese Patent No. 4-176241 issued to Sato et al., for Portable Telephone Set Incorporated with Belt, Japanese Patent No. 10-23679 issued to Matsumoto, for Portable Electronic Equipment, Japanese Patent No. 10-150484 issued to Sakata, for Holder for Portable Telephone Set and Portable Telephone Set with Hook, and Japanese Patent No. 11-221783 issued to Spotnitz, for Portable Power Tool Having Low Rate, Rechargeable Batteries.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for supplying auxiliary power to a portable electronic device, which can be promptly connected to the portable electric device and supply electric power thereto, and is convenient to carry.
It is another object to have an apparatus for supplying auxiliary power to a portable electronic device that is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is still another object to have an apparatus for supplying auxiliary power that is reliable for use in a portable electronic device.
These and other objects may be accomplished by the provision of an apparatus for supplying auxiliary power to a portable electric device including a casing, a battery removably accommodated in the casing, a winding unit winding and unwinding an electric wire through which electric power from the battery is supplied to the electric device, rotating forward and backward in the casing, and a contact member provided in the winding unit, including a movable contact electrically connected to the electric wire, and a secured contact electrically connected to the battery and constantly contacted with the movable contact.
Here, it is preferable for the apparatus to further include at least one power input part provided in the casing, receiving electric power from an external power source, and a charger including a charging circuit charging the battery with the electric power inputted to the power input part.
Effectively, the power input part includes adapter connection terminals electrically connected to an adapter coupled with the external power source, and charger connection terminals exposed outside the casing, corresponding to power source terminals of a separate charger connected with the external power source.
The winding unit is possible to include a cylindrical winding member winding the electric wire thereon, a rotary shaft by which the winding member is rotated and supported, a rotary spring elastically restoring the winding member to the winding state, and a brake braking the elastic restoring rotation of the winding member.
The winding unit is possible to include a cylindrical winding member winding the electric wire thereon, a rotary knob provided in one side of the winding member, protruding outward the casing, and a rotary shaft by which the winding member is rotated and supported.
Preferably, the apparatus further includes a clip provided at the casing, to be held on a user""s belt or the like.